Printing unit for selective indirect intaglio and flexographic printing

ABSTRACT

A printing unit operative alternatively for either indirect intaglio printing or for flexographic printing which includes a printing unit frame with a relatively fixed position impression cylinder thereon. A first cylinder support is mounted on said frame for supporting alternatively a transfer cylinder or a flexographic plate cylinder so as to be vertically adjustable on the frame, while a second cylinder support is mounted on said frame for supporting alternatively an intaglio plate cylinder or a fountain cylinder to be horizontally adjustable on the frame. With this arrangement, the apparatus can be converted between indirect intaglio and flexographic printing operation by a simple exchange of cylinders in each of the horizontally and vertically adjustable supports with subsequent simple vertical and horizontal adjustment of the supports to accommodate the changed diameter cylinders for the respective printing operation to be performed. Fixed and adjustable stops are arranged for the horizontally adjustable support so as to accommodate rapid adjustment for standard printing operations as well as for providing controlled small adjustments for printing of material of varying thickness.

United States Patent Thomas et al.

[ 51 June 17, 1975 3,272,122 9/1966 Behringer 101/247 3,613,578 10/1971Heurich 101/350 3,792,658 2/1974 Shore 101/247 Primary Examiner.l ReedFisher Attorney, Agent, or Firm-:Craig & Antonelli [57] ABSTRACT Aprinting unit operative alternatively for either indi rect intaglioprinting or for flexographic printing which includes a printing unitframe with a relatively fixed position impression cylinder thereon. Afirst cylinder support is mounted on said frame for supportingalternatively a transfer cylinder or a flexographic plate cylinder so asto be vertically adjustable on the frame, while a second cylindersupport is mounted on said frame for supporting alternatively anintaglio plate cylinder or a fountain cylinder to be horizontallyadjustable on the frame. With this arrangement, the apparatus can beconverted between indirect intaglio and flexographic printing operationby a simple exchange of cylinders in each of the horizontally andvertically adjustable supports with subsequent simple vertical andhorizontal adjustment of the supports to accommodate the changeddiameter cylinders for the respective printing operation to beperformed. Fixed and adjustable stops are arranged for the horizontallyadjustable support so as to accommodate rapid adjustment for standardprinting operations as well as for providing controlled smalladjustments for printing of material of varying thickness.

15 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures 1 PRINTING UNIT FOR SELECTIVE INDIRECTINTAGLIO AND FLEXOGRAPHIC PRINTING [75] Inventors: Hans Robert Thomas;Wolfgang Eril, both of Weiden, Germany [73] Assignee: Hueck and Cie,Germany [22] Filed:' Apr. 30, 1973 [21] Appl. No.: 355,683

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data Apr. 29, 1972 Germany 2221188[52] U.S. C1. 101/154; 101/247; 101/352 [51] Int. Cl. B4lf 9/00; B41f13/26; B41f 31/30 [58] Field of Search 101/348-352,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,840,071 1/1932 Werner etal. 101/350 2,242,045 5/1941 Scott et al 101/181 2,258,653 10/1941Klinglefuss... lOl/247 2,263,323 11/1941 Wickwire 101/182 2,301,2991l/1942 Luehrs 101/247 2,690,121 9/1954 Auerbacher 101/181 2,763,2079/1956 McWhorter 10l/348 2,809,582 10/1957 Crawford 10l/157 X 2,836,1155/1958 Page 101/352 X 3,099,956 8/1963 Anderson et al. lOl/154 3,190,2186/1965 Willard lOl/l82 X 3,259,060 7/1966 Martin 101/247 l F'lPATEMESJUN 17 1975 SHEET HIIWII GN PRINTING UNIT FOR SELECTIVE INDIRECTINTAGLIO AND FLEXOGRAPI'HC PRINTING BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THEINVENTION This invention relates to a printing unit usable alternativelyfor indirect intaglio printing and for flexographic printing, comprisingan impression cylinder; an exchangeable cylinder constructed as atransfer cylinder for indirect intaglio printing or as a plate cylinderfor flexographic printing; a likewise exchangeable cylinder constructedas an intaglio plate cylinder or as a fountain cylinder disposed in acommon horizontal plane with the impression cylinder and provided withan oscillating wiper. which cylinder can be displaced on a slide in thehorizontal, direction; and an ink fountain.

U.S. Pat. No. 2,988,989 discloses a printing unit of this general typewhich has a total of four cylinders, i.e. an impression cylinder, atransfer cylinder, an intaglio plate cylinder, and a fountain rollerdipping into the ink fountain. The impression cylinder, the transfercylinder, and the intaglio plate cylinder are disposed in one commonhorizontal plane. In order to prevent a continued transport of the inkwhen the printing operation is interrupted, the transfer cylinder andthe printing plate cylinder are arranged on horizontally displaceableslides, making it possible to move the individual cylinders away fromeach other.

In this conventional printing unit, the transfer cylinder can bereplaced by a plate cylinder for flexographic printing. A rapiddisengagement of all cylinders from one another during operation, i.e.during an actually continuous printing proces, is impossible by means ofthis conventional printing unit, because for this purpose at least twoslides must be displaced with respect to the machine frame and withrespect to each other. Furthermore, in this conventional printingmachine, the path of the ink on the transfer cylinder or plate cylinderalways corresponds approximately to one-half the circumference thereof,so that, with increasing cylinder diameters. there is an ever-growingdanger of drying of the ink.

German Pat. No. 671,789 discloses a flexographic printing unitconsisting of four cylinders, wherein an impression cylinder and a formroller having the same diameter are disposed in a common horizontalplane, and wherein a plate cylinder can be adjusted vertically fromabove with respect to the impression cylinder and the form roller. Theform roller is inked by a fountain roller dipping into an ink fountain.The form roller is fixedly mounted.

This conventional printing unit is well suitable for flexographicprinting, since for printing and inking of the plate cylinder, only thelatter itself need be displaced. Furthermore, this plate cylinder canreadily be exchanged for another plate cylinder having a larger orsmaller diameter. Besides. in order to briefly interrupt the operationof this printing unit, it is merely necessary to lift the plate cylinderfrom the impression cylinder and simultaneously from the form cylinder.

This printing machine is unsuitable for indirect intaglio printing andcannot be converted for such operation, either. Also, this printing unitcannot be used for web-used materials of varying thicknesses since, whenthicknesses of material are employed which go beyond that taken intoaccount during the manufacture of the unit. either the ink transfer fromthe form roller to the plate cylinder is no longer ensured, or the webof material or the cliche (plate) mounted on the plate cylinder issqueezed.

U.S. Pat. No. 2,310,788 discloses a flexographic printing unitconsisting of an impression cylinder, a plate cylinder, and a formroller dipping into an ink fountain, wherein the form roller has ascreen surface from which the ink is wiped off by means of a doctorblade.

The present invention is based on the problem of providing, startingwith the aforementioned conventional machine, a machine which can besimply and rapidly converted from flexographic printing to indirect intaglio printing, and vice versa.

This problem is solved, in accordance with this invention, by providingthat the cylinder fashioned as a transfer cylinder or plate cylinder canbe adjusted vertically with respect to the impression cylinder and withrespect to the cylinder which can be displaced in a horizontallyadjustable manner and which dips into the ink fountain, and that thiscylinder has a patterned (screen) surface provided with nubs. Animportant advantage of the arrangement of the present invention residesin that it is possible to effect an extremely simple, accurate, andrapid adjustment of the cylinder; serving as the plate cylinder inflexographic printing and as the transfer cylinder in intaglio printing,with respect to the impression cylinder and the cylinder dipping intothe ink fountain. ln this type of adjustment of the cylinder verticallyfrom above, coupled with the horizontal adjustability of the cylinderdipping into the ink fountain, the advantage is obtained that theconversion from flexographic printing to indirect intaglio printing andvice versa, and a conversion during flexographic printing operation tovarious format sizes, take place in a very simple manner. This is so,because the cylinder which is adjustable from above need only beadjusted, completely independently of its diameter, only with respect tothe two other cylinders, and the cylinder dipping into the ink fountaincan be placed into its new operating position by a simple horizontaladjustment. Furthermore, the adjustability of the horizontallydisplaceable cylinder dipping into the ink fountain has the result thatit is possible to adjust the cylinders exactly with respect to oneanother in a simple manner in case of varying thicknesses of thematerial, and this can be done in both types of operation. Since thethree cylinders are arranged in an approximately isosceles triangularrelationship according to the present invention the ink paths on thecylinder adjustable from above become very short and substantially lessthan one-half the circumference thereof. Consequently, the danger ofdrying of weak color hues, i.e. so-called halftones, on this cylinder isextensively avoided, which is of great significance especially whenoperating the printing unit for indirect intaglio printing. Due to thefact that, according to the preferred embodiment of the presentinvention, always only three cylinders are provided, of which thecylinder dipping into the ink fountain is always fashioned as a patterncylinder with an oscillating doctor blade, an extremely uniform inktransfer is ensured especially also during flexographic printingoperation.

ln a further development of the invention, the fountain cyiinder and theimpression cylinder have the same diameter for flexograhic printing.This has the result that, in flexographic printing operations, anexchange of the plate cylinder against a plate cylinder of differentdiameter does not necessitate a change in the adjustment of the fountaincylinder. Furthermore, the conversion of the machine of this inventionfrom indirect intaglio printing operation to flexographic printing isfacilitated furthermore by providing that the slide, in the mode ofoperation for flexographic printing, abuts against a stop. Since thegeometry of the printing unit presupposing approximately uniformthicknesses of web of material does not change during flexographicprinting operation, such a stop can fixedly determine in each case theexact position of the cylinder dipping into the ink fountain. In orderto be able to take differing thicknesses of the web-shaped material intoaccount, a further advantageous feature of this invention is that a stopis displaceably arranged and is coupled with a meter. In order to beable to change over rapidly and simply during flexographic printing froma prdetermined material thickness range, for which the fixed stopdetermines the position of the fountain cylinder dipping into the inkfountain to a different thickness of material, another advantageousfeature of the present invention provides that the displaceably arrangedstop can be pivoted from an ineffective position into an effectiveposition.

The present invention makes it possible, in multicolor printing machinesconstructed from the printing units of the invention, to operate anydesired number of printing units in a flexographic operation and theremainder in indirect intaglio operation, and to change the sequence ofthe piinting units operating in one or the other mode of operation,without exchanging the entire printing unit, because actually only twocylinders have to be exchanged for varying the mode of operation. Thisresults in an extraordinary versatility in the usefulness of such aprinting machine.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS These and further objects, featuresand advantages of the present invention will become more obvious fromthe following description when taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawings which show, for purposes of illustration only, a singleembodiment in accordance with the present invention, and wherein FIG. 1is a side, partially cross-sectional view of a printing unit inaccordance with the present invention which shows the printing unit inthe mode of operation for indirect intaglio p inting;

FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIG. 1 which shows the same printing unit inthe mode of operation for flexographic printing; 1

FIG. 3 is a schematic partial view showing details of nubs on a cylindersurface of cylinders arranged at ink fountains; and

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along line IV-IV of FIG. 3.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS I A fixedly mounted impressioncylinder 3 and a vertically adjustable transfer cylinder 4 for indirectintaglio printing are disposed in these supports 2. A horizontal guide5, connected to form a unit with the supports 2, is furthermore mountedon the machine frame 1. A

slide 8, carrying an ink fountain 6 and an intaglio plate cylinder 7dipping into the ink fountain 6 and being constructed as a screencylinder (with nubs on the surface), is guided on this guide means 5 andcan be moved horizontally in the direction toward the impressioncylinder 3 and away therefrom.

All three cylinders 3, 4, 7 are disposed axially parallel with respectto one another, wherein the impression cylinder 3 and the intaglio platecylinder 7 are disposed in a common horizontal plane passing throughtheir axes. The transfer cylinder 4 is vertically adjustable withrespect to the impression cylinder 3 and the intaglio plate cylinder 7at right angles to this horizontal plane. For this purpose, the transfercylinder 4 is supported in holding arms 9 horizontally projecting fromthe supports 2. These holding arms are displaceable together verticallyin the supports 2 in dovetail guides 10. The vertical adjustment of theholding arms 9 and thus of the transfer cylinder 4 is effected by meansof spindles actuated by way of a common handwheel 11. Since details ofthe spindles interconnected between the handwheel 11 and the holdingarms could be readily constructed by those skilled in the art using thepresent disclosure and known mechanisms, these details have not beenincluded herein. In order to be able to raise the transfer cylinder 4quickly in case of operational disturbances, a hydraulic quick-actionshutoff device can be provided in addition to the spindles, which devicelifts the transfer cylinder 4 off the impression cylinder 3 and off theintaglio plate cylinder 7 by several millimeters, so that simultaneouslythe ink transfer from the intaglio plate cylinder 7 to the transfercylinder 4 and the transfer of the picture from the transfer cylinder 4to a web of material 12 passing between the transfer cylinder 4 and theimpression cylinder 3 are interrupted. The details of such a hydraulicquickaction shutoff device have also not been illustrated and describedbecause one skilled in the art could readily construct same from knownmechanisms and the present disclosure.

The transfer cylinder 4 is mounted in the holding arms 9 in splitbearings 13, the upper halves of which, denoted by 14, are tiltable bymeans of pivot pins 15 and which can be locked at their ends by means ofradily releasable setscrews 16. The construction of the bearing for theintaglio plate cylinder 7 is similar. The bearing blocks 17 are likewisesplit, so that their upper halves 18 can be swung away about pivot pins19. These upper halves 18 can likewise be clamped into position at theirother ends by means of radily releasable setscrews 20. By thisconstruction of the bearings, the intaglio plate cylinder 7 and thetransfer cylinder 4 can readily be exchanged for other cylinders.Furthermoreand this is especially importantthe intaglio plate cylinder 7can be exchanged for a fountain cylinder, and the transfer cylinder 4can be exchanged for a plate cylinder, so that, after these simplerearrangements, the printing unit can be further utilized forflexographic printing instead of indirect intaglio printing aspreviously.

The slide 8 can be displaced horizontally by means of spindles 21engaging the two outer ends, (it is to be understood that one end isillustrated, the other end being spaced therefrom in a directionperpendicular to the plane of the figures) of the slide; the spindlescan be operated via a worm gear 22 by means of a handwheel, not shown.For the rapid disengagement of the intaglio plate cylinder 7 from thetransfer cylinder 4, the housing 23 carrying the worm gear 22 and thespindle 21 can be shifted by means of a rotatable eccentric 24 by thestroke of this eccentric, so that. when the eccentric is operated orrotated, the entire slide, including the elements carried thereby, ismoved toward the right as seen in the drawing.

The printing unit as illustrated in FIG. 1 is constructed for indirectintaglio printing, so that the intaglio plate cylinder 7 and thetransfer cylinder 4 have the same diameter resulting respectively fromthe length of the format.

In the modification of the same printing unit shown in FIG. 2 for use inflexographic printing, a fountain cylinder 7 has taken the place of theintaglio plate cylinder 7, and a plate cylinder 4' has taken the placeof the transfer cylinder 4. In the last-mentioned case as illustrated inFIG. 2, the impression cylinder 3 and the fountain cylinder 7' have thesame diameter. In the case shown in FIG. 2 wherein the unit operates asa flexographic printing mechanism, a device 25, shown in FIG. 1, (manyparts of which are also illustrated in FIG. 2) is used for the rapid andaccurate adjustment of the slide and thus of the fountain cylinder 7, sothat, upon the vertical setting of the plate cylinder 4, the latter isin accurate contact with the fountain cylinder 7' and with theimpression cylinder 3 or the passing web 12 of material. Such an exactvertical adjustment of the plate cylinder 4' is made possible due to thefact that this cylinder is mounted on both sides and guided in thesupports 2.

The device has a stop pin 27 abutting against an end face 26 ofthe slide8; this pin is mounted to be axially adjustable in a pivotable bushing28. The slide 8 carrying the fountain or inking cylinder 7' forflexographic printing is pushed against this stop pin 27, if theprinting unit is to be operated as a flexographic printing machine. Inthis case, the slide is exactly disposed in such a position relativelyto the impression cylinder 3 and the plate cylinder 4' that the latter,with a vertical adjustment, contacts the impression cylinder 3 and/orthe web 12 of material guided therearound and the fountain cylinder 7without any additional adjusting measures. This fixed adjustment issufficient for thicknesses of material up to about 40 microns.

The pivotable bushing 28 carrying the stop pin 27 is fixedly disposed ona rotatable axle 29 arranged eccentrically to the stop pin 27, so thatthe bushing rotates with the axle. This axle can be pivoted by a certainangle by means of a handle, not shown. Upon such a pivoting motion, thestop pin 27 is brought into a posi tion wherein it can enter a bore 29a(FIG. 1) provided in the end face 26 of the slide 8, so that the pin nolonger serves as an abutment. Axially in parallel to the axle 29 anaxially displaceable rod 30 is disposed in a support 2, contacting withone end a meter 31. This rod 30 carries, likewise eccentrically withrespect to its axis, a stop pin 32 at its other end facing the samedirection as the stop pin 27. The stop pin 32 is provided in an arm 33to be longitudinally or horizontally adjustable. The arm 33 is affixedto the rod 30 in a nonrotatable and non-displaceable manner. The stoppin 32 has a stud-like projection 34 at its rear end, engaging a recess35 in the bushing 28, which recess is arranged eccentrically withrespect to the axle 29. Thereby, upon a rotation of the axle 29 and theconcomitant pivoting of the stop pin 27 from an inoperable position, thestop pin 32 can be pivoted into an effective position wherein it canabut against an abutment surface in the end face 26 of the slide 8. If,in this case, the slide 8 is furthermore displaced in the directiontoward the impression cylinder 3, the meter 31 indicates quiteaccurately the additional adjustment. Such an additional adjustment isnecessary in a case where the web of material has a thickness of morethan 40 microns. Thus, it is possible by this construction to imprint inthe printing unit material up to the thickness of cardboard (of athickness on the order of .8mm), because the adjustment can still beexecuted in a maximally simple manner. A return of the stop pin 32 intoa respective starting position is effected by a compression spring 36.

Upon an opposite pivoting of the axle 29 the stop pin 32 and the stoppin 27 are pivoted into a position wherein they are disposed inalignment with two associated bores 38, of which only the one associatedwith the stop pin 32 is shown, in the end face 26 of the slide 8. Thestop pins 27 and 32 can then slide into bores 38 so that damage to theadjustment device 25 is prevented for certain printing operations withappropriately dimensioned cylinders, whereby the flexibility of themachine is enhanced.

The excess printing ink is stripped off from the intaglio plate cylinder7 and/or the fountain roller 7', by means of an oscillating doctor blade37.

The unit is driven in such a manner that the impression cylinder 3 isdriven directly. The impression cylinder 3 drives the verticallyadjustable cylinder 4 or 4 and, by the latter, the cylinder 7 or 7dipping into the ink fountain 6 is driven. In front of the impressioncylinder 3, a free-wheeling mechanism is disposed, so that the cylinderis arrested when the printing unit operates in a self-sustaining manner.

FIGS. 3 and 4 illustrate the nub patterns for the cylinders 7, 7' withcylinder axle 39. The nubs 38 have a generally quadrangularcross-section with a ridge length of about 30 ,um and are arranged inrows alongside a circumferential line of the cylinder with neigh' boringrows displaced by half a division with respect to one another. As bestshown in FIG. 4 the nubs have a pyramid shaped cross-section and have adepth of approximately 30 ,u.m. Cross-pieces 40 remain betweenneighboring nubs, where no nubs have been inserted into the polishedsurface of the cylinders 7, 7. The cylinder 7' for flexographic printingis covered over the whole surface in the manner illustrated in FIGS. 3and 4 while cylinder 7 for intaglio printing is provided with such nubsonly at places where dye or ink is to be absorbed for the printedpicture. Width, form and depth of the nubs depend on the particular dyeto be used.

While we have shown and described only one embodiment in accordance withthe present invention, it is understood that the same is not limitedthereto but also contemplates numerous changes and modifications aswould be known to those skilled in the art given the present disclosureof the invention, and we therefore do not wish to be limited to thedetails shown and described herein only schematically but intend tocover' all such changes and modifications.

We claim:

1. Printing unit apparatus operable alternatively for direct intaglioprinting and for flexographic printing; said apparatus comprising:

a printing unit frame,

an impression cylinder,

first cylinder supporting means for supporting said impression cylinderfor rotation about a first axis of rotation,

first mounting means for mounting said first supporting means on saidframe,

a transfer cylinder,

a flexographic plate cylinder,

second cylinder supporting means for selectively and exchangeablysupporting one of said transfer cylinder and flexographic plate cylinderfor rotation about a second axis of rotation,

second mounting means for mounting said second supporting means on saidframe, said second mounting means including vertical adjusting means foradjusting the vertical position of said second axis of rotation at thebeginning of each printing operation,

an intaglio plate cylinder,

a fountain cylinder,

third cylinder supporting means for selectively and exchangeablysupporting one of said intaglio plate cylinder and said fountaincylinder for rotation about a third axis of rotation disposed in acommon horizontal plane passing through the first and third axis ofrotation,

third mounting means for mounting said third supporting means on saidframe, said third mounting means including horizontal adjusting meansfor adjusting the horizontal position of said third axis of rotation,

an ink fountain disposed adjacent said third supporting means forsupplying ink to one of said intaglio plate and fountain cylinders beingsupported by said third supporting means, an oscillating doctor blademeans engageable with the one of said intaglio plate and fountaincylinder being supported by said third supporting means, a patternedsurface provided on the intaglio plate cylinder and the fountaincylinder, said first and third mounting means including means formaintaining said first and third axes of rotation in a common horizontalplane for all adjusted positions of said third axis of rotation, saidimpression cylinder and fountain cylinder having the same diameter andsaid transfer cylinder and intaglio plate cylinder having the samediameter, whereby flexographic printing operations can be facilitated byplacing said flexographic plate cylinder in said second supportingmeans, by placing said fountain cylinder in said third supporting means,and by appropriately adjusting the position of said second and thirdaxes of rotation with respect to said first axis of rotation, andwhereby indirect intaglio printing operations can be facilitated byplacing said transfer cylinder in said second supporting means, byplacing said intaglio plate cylinder in said third supporting means, andby appropriately adjusting the position of said second and third axes ofrotation with respect to said first axis of rotation. 2. Apparatusaccording to claim 1 wherein the pattern surface is provided with nubs.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the impression cylinder ismounted in a fixed position on said frame.

4. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the one of said flexographicplate cylinder and transfer cylinder supported by said second cylindersupporting means directly engages both the one of said fountain cylinderand intaglio pl'ate cylinder supported by said third cylinder supportingmeans and a strip of material being printed which is passing over saidimpression cylinder during respective flexographic and indirect intaglioprinting operations.

5. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein means are provided forconversion of said apparatus between flexographic and intaglio printingoperations with maintenance of said first axis of rotation in a fixedposition, with adjustment of said second axis of rotation only in avertical direction, and with adjustment of said third axis of rotationonly in a horizontal direction.

6. Apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said vertical adjusting meansincludes slide means for slidably moving said second supporting means ina vertical direction along fixed vertical sliding surfaces of saidframe.

7. Apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said horizontal adjustingmeans includes slide means for slidably moving said third supportingmeans in a horizontal direction along fixed horizontal sliding surfacesof said frame.

8. Apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising stop means mountedon said frame and abuttingly engageable with a part of said thirdmounting means when said apparatus is being operated as a flexographicprinter.

9. Apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said horizontal adjustingmeans includes slide means movable with said third supporting meansalong a horizontal sliding surface of said frame, and wherein said stopmeans abuttingly engages said slide means when said apparatus is beingoperated as a flexographic printer. 10. Apparatus according to claim 9,wherein said stop means includes a horizontally fixed stop membermaterial.

11. Apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said stop means includesmeans for moving said fixed stop member such that said fixed stop memberis inoperative to limit horizontal movement of said slide member andwherein said stop means includes a horizontally displaceable stop memberand meter means including display means for indicating the position ofsaid displaceable stop member, said displaceable stop member beingengageable with said slide member, whereby said slide member can behorizontally moved against said stop member closer to said impressioncylinder than if said fixed stop member was in operative position foraccommodating flexographic printing of thicker materials to be printed.

12. Apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said stop means includes ahorizontally displaceable stop member and meter means including displaymeans for indicating the position of said displaceable stop member, saiddisplaceable stop member being engageable with said slide member.

14. Apparatus according to claim 13, wherein said displaceable stopmember is pivotally mounted for movement between said effective andineffective positions.

15. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the impression cylinder andfountain cylinder are smaller than the transfer cylinder and intaglioplate cylinder.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3, 889,596 Dated June 17, 1975 Invent0r(s) Hans Robert Thomas, Wolfgang Ertl Itis certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and thatsaid Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Title page as it reads now:

[7 5] Inventors: Hans Robert Thomas; Wolfgang Eril, both of Weiden,Germany Title page as it should read:

[75] Inventors: Hans Robert Thomas; Wolfgang Ertl, both of Weiden,Germany I Signed and Scaled this second Day of Dawn [SEAL] AIICSL' RUTHC. MASON C MARSHALL DANN A nesting Offiter Commissioner uflatems andTrademarks

1. Printing unit apparatus operable alternatively for direct intaglioprinting and for flexographic printing; said apparatus comprising: aprinting unit frame, an impression cylinder, first cylinder supportingmeans for supporting said impression cylinder for rotation about a firstaxis of rotation, first mounting means for mounting said firstsupporting means on said frame, a transfer cylinder, a flexographicplate cylinder, second cylinder supporting means for selectively andexchangeably supporting one of said transfer cylinder and flexographicplate cylinder for rotation about a second axis of rotation, secondmounting means for mounting said second supporting means on said frame,said second mounting means including vertical adjusting means foradjusting the vertical position of said second axis of rotation at thebeginning of each printing operation, an intaglio plate cylinder, afountain cylinder, third cylinder supporting means for selectively andexchangeably supporting one of said intaglio plate cylinder and saidfountain cylinder for rotation about a third axis of rotation disposedin a common horizontal plane passing through the first and third axis ofrotation, third mounting means for mounting said third supporting meanson said frame, said third mounting means including horizontal adjustingmeans for adjusting the horizontal position of said third axis ofrotation, an ink fountain disposed adjacent said third supporting meansfor supplying ink to one of said intaglio plate and fountain cylindersbeing supported by said third supporting means, an oscillating doctorblade means engageable with the one of said intaglio plate and fountaincylinder being supported by said third supporting means, a patternedsurface provided on the intaglio plate cylinder and the fountaincylinder, said first and third mounting means including means formaintaining said first and third axes of rotation in a common horizontalplane for all adjusted positions of said third axis of rotation, saidimpression cylinder and fountain cylinder having the same diameter andsaid transfer cylinder and intaglio plate cylinder having the samediameter, whereby flexographic printing operations can be facilitated byplacing said flexographic plate cylinder in said second supportingmeans, by placing said fountain cylinder in said third supporting means,and by appropriately adjusting the position of said second and thirdaxes of rotation with respect to said first axis of rotation, andwhereby indirect intaglio printing operations can be facilitated byplacing said transfer cylinder in said second supporting means, byplacing said intaglio plate cylinder in said third supporting means, andby appropriately adjusting the position of said second and third axes ofrotation with respect to said first axis of rotation.
 2. Apparatusaccording to claim 1 wherein the pattern surface is provided with nubs.3. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the impression cylinder ismounted in a fixed position on said frame.
 4. Apparatus according toclaim 1, wherein the one of said flexographic plate cylinder andtransfer cylinder supported by said second cylinder supporting meansdirectly engages both the one of said fountain cylinder and intaglioplate cylinder supported by said third cylinder supporting means and astrip of material being printed which is passing over said impressioncylinder during respective flexographic and indirect intaglio printingoperations.
 5. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein means areprovided for conversion of said apparatus between flexographic andintaglio printing operations with maintenance of said first axis ofrotation in a fixed position, with adjustment of said second axis ofrotation only in a vertical direction, and with adjustment of said thirdaxis of rotation only in a horizontal direction.
 6. Apparatus accordingto claim 5, wherein said vertical adjusting means includes slide meansfor slidably moving said second supporting means in a vertical directionalong fixed vertical sliding surfaces of said frame.
 7. Apparatusaccording to claim 5, wherein said horizontal adjusting means includesslide means for slidably moving said third supporting means in ahorizontal direction along fixed horizontal sliding surfaces of saidframe.
 8. Apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising stop meansmounted on said frame and abuttingly engageable with a part of saidthird mounting means when said apparatus is being operated as aflexographic printer.
 9. Apparatus according to claim 8, wherein saidhorizontal adjusting means includes slide means movable with said thirdsupporting means along a horizontal sliding surface of said frame, andwherein said stop means abuttingly engages said slide means when saidapparatus is being operated as a flexographic printer.
 10. Apparatusaccording to claim 9, wherein said stop means includes a horizontallyfixed stop member positioned at a predetermined position with respect tothe relative diameters of the flexographic pLate, fountain, andimpression cylinders such that horizontal movement of said slide memberto abuttingly engage said fixed stop member positions said respectivecylinders properly for flexographic printing of relatively thinmaterial.
 11. Apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said stop meansincludes means for moving said fixed stop member such that said fixedstop member is inoperative to limit horizontal movement of said slidemember and wherein said stop means includes a horizontally displaceablestop member and meter means including display means for indicating theposition of said displaceable stop member, said displaceable stop memberbeing engageable with said slide member, whereby said slide member canbe horizontally moved against said stop member closer to said impressioncylinder than if said fixed stop member was in operative position foraccommodating flexographic printing of thicker materials to be printed.12. Apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said stop means includes ahorizontally displaceable stop member and meter means including displaymeans for indicating the position of said displaceable stop member, saiddisplaceable stop member being engageable with said slide member. 13.Apparatus according to claim 12, wherein means provided for moving saiddisplaceable stop member between a first effective position where itwill abuttingly engage said slide member and a second ineffectiveposition where it will not abuttingly engage said slide member when saidslide member is moved toward said impression cylinder to accommodateflexographic printing operations.
 14. Apparatus according to claim 13,wherein said displaceable stop member is pivotally mounted for movementbetween said effective and ineffective positions.
 15. Apparatusaccording to claim 1, wherein the impression cylinder and fountaincylinder are smaller than the transfer cylinder and intaglio platecylinder.